Post Box 98
Santa Rosa, CA 95402-0098
Post Box 98 Santa Rosa, CA 95402-0098 |
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A beekeeper will arrive and assess the situation. The beekeeper will have a swarm capturing box, the specific design of which can vary considerably. In the case of tree (which is a common landing place for a swarm) and fence/exterior swarm clusters, the beekeeper will typically jostle the swarm of bees into the box, which might take a few attempts (but is quite spectacular), and then will set the box up and leave it for the bees to congregate in until after sundown, when the beekeeper will return to close up the box and transport it.
Structural extractions - removing bees from inside a wall for instance - are understandably more involved, and involve established colonies, rather than a swarm in transit. The process may require removal of siding or interior drywall or plaster. It can often be a multi-day process.
A swarm capture is an amazing sight to watch - please do so at a safe distance. Some beekeepers might even bring an extra "bee suit" and/or veil, and if you're so inclined, you might ask about this if you want to lend a hand or take a closer look. Not all beekeepers will feel comfortable with the distraction, so please respect the beekeeper's decision should they decline the request. Beekeepers are happy to answer questions and explain the process. If you'd like to take photographs while the beekeeper is working, please ask the beekeeper first.
Provided that you do not irritate the bees (swatting at them is a good way to do that), stinging risk should be minimal. If you do get stung, the most important thing to do is remove the stinger as fast as possible, which will minimize venom transfer. A scraping motion is most effective, and is preferred over trying to grasp the stinger to remove it, but either way, the quicker you remove the stinger with venom sac, the less venom will be transferred, and the less irritation you will subsequently experience.
Children in particular are fascinated by honey bees. If your child is, you might introduce them to 4H, which has a local group which studies honeybees. In addition, one of our member beekeepers operates a family farm in Petaluma, which is open to school and other childrens' groups, which includes a presentation on Honey Bees, including an "Observation Hive". The Sonoma County Beekeepers' Association is active at several faires - including Gravenstein Apple Fair, Harvest Fair, and Day Under the Oaks. where you can see presentations on Honey Bees and view the observation hive.
Swarming is a natural process, and commonly occurs when a bee colony has outgrown its home - the bee population rises sharply in spring, as flowers begin blooming, and a healthy colony (particulary wild, or feral colonies, living in trees or structures) will divide and part of the colony will move out looking to establish itself as a separate colony. Occasionally, a swarm will occur when a colony has problems with it's old home - an animal or people intrudes on the hive and damages it (say, with construction work), or even natural events cause damage - a rotting tree or a windstorm causes the hive to become exposed. This type of swarming is referred to as absconding.
In recent years, honey bees have come under attack from multiple pests, and the number of honey bee colonies has been on the decline. Tracheal mites and Varroa mites are two of the more common pests which devastate honey bee colonies. It is reported that over 2/3 of the produce crops which we consume are directly pollinated by honey bees - they're a very important part of our world, and shouldn't be treated like pests. Calling a beekeeper to capture your swarm helps to restore the population of bees.
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